Announcing RENEW 2010 Conference
We've all been saddened by Zoe's decision to scale back their activities. Finances are very tight during this economic downturn. Parachurch organizations and other non-profits have been especially hard hit as donors with deep pockets are suddenly unable to afford such discretionary donations. So we hurt for Zoe in their period of hardship.
Every loss, however, is an opportunity for something new. We have therefore taken up the challenge to carry on even without Zoe. We're planning our own "worship" conference for Feb 19-21. Here are some questions and answers about our plans:
Why have a conference? The conference we hosted for 5 or so years was a tremendous blessing to West Coast Christians who need a boost. For those who already attend large churches in the Bible belt, the need for a special time of encouragement is not so great. They get to experience high quality worship and teaching week in and week out. But for those in struggling churches far from the resources of bigger churches & institutions, weekends like this one are lifelines to keep them afloat for one more year.
Will the worship be as good as Zoe? I don't want to play the comparison game, but I know that some will wonder. Zoe uses top-notch, professional-grade singers. There's no way to replace that. But the College Church praise team is honestly one of the best praise groups I've ever worshiped with. I've attended LOTS of Churches of Christ, nearly all the big ones. I've also been to the Pepperdine Lectures on numerous occasions. So while I might be a biased insider, I also have grounds for comparison. I can tell you that the quality of music we do here at College is second to none. We may not attempt some of the showier solos and things that Zoe may have done, but I'm guessing you may not miss that too much.
Will the program be good? If you need a weekend of great worship, in addition to inspirational talks from Randy Harris and John York, then I'm guessing you will think that our program is excellent. In addition to the inspiration, you will get some practical material and usable ideas in classes & sessions you can take home with you.
Will it be expensive? One of the few knocks against our Zoe weekend was its cost. We're going to charge a $25 registration fee for the weekend. (The cost for College Church members will be even less since they're doing all the work to host it.) Rather than sending one or two people from your church, you should be able to send a whole contingent this year!
When is it again? Mark your calendars for Feb 19-21! And pass the word...
Every loss, however, is an opportunity for something new. We have therefore taken up the challenge to carry on even without Zoe. We're planning our own "worship" conference for Feb 19-21. Here are some questions and answers about our plans:
Why have a conference? The conference we hosted for 5 or so years was a tremendous blessing to West Coast Christians who need a boost. For those who already attend large churches in the Bible belt, the need for a special time of encouragement is not so great. They get to experience high quality worship and teaching week in and week out. But for those in struggling churches far from the resources of bigger churches & institutions, weekends like this one are lifelines to keep them afloat for one more year.
Will the worship be as good as Zoe? I don't want to play the comparison game, but I know that some will wonder. Zoe uses top-notch, professional-grade singers. There's no way to replace that. But the College Church praise team is honestly one of the best praise groups I've ever worshiped with. I've attended LOTS of Churches of Christ, nearly all the big ones. I've also been to the Pepperdine Lectures on numerous occasions. So while I might be a biased insider, I also have grounds for comparison. I can tell you that the quality of music we do here at College is second to none. We may not attempt some of the showier solos and things that Zoe may have done, but I'm guessing you may not miss that too much.
Will the program be good? If you need a weekend of great worship, in addition to inspirational talks from Randy Harris and John York, then I'm guessing you will think that our program is excellent. In addition to the inspiration, you will get some practical material and usable ideas in classes & sessions you can take home with you.
Will it be expensive? One of the few knocks against our Zoe weekend was its cost. We're going to charge a $25 registration fee for the weekend. (The cost for College Church members will be even less since they're doing all the work to host it.) Rather than sending one or two people from your church, you should be able to send a whole contingent this year!
When is it again? Mark your calendars for Feb 19-21! And pass the word...
Comments